Semiconductor components, such as unpackaged dice and chip scale packages, must be burned-in and tested prior to use in electronic equipment. One test procedure involves placing one or more semiconductor components in a test carrier. The carrier provides a container for handling and electrically connecting the components to a testing apparatus. The testing apparatus can include test circuitry adapted to transmit and analyze test signals from the components held within the carrier. The carrier and testing apparatus form a test system.
One requirement of carriers for testing semiconductor components, is the ability to make temporary electrical connections with the components. The temporary electrical connections permit test signals to be transmitted to the integrated circuits contained on the components. One type of carrier includes an interconnect adapted to make temporary electrical connections with contacts on the components. The contacts on unpackaged dice are typically flat or bumped bond pads formed on faces of the dice. The contacts on chip scale packages are typically solder bumps formed on substrates bonded to the faces of the dice.
These contacts on the components can be in the form of small, densely-packed members. For example, chip scale packages can include a hundred or more solder bumps having a diameter and spacing of several mils or less. Unpackaged dice can include bond pads having a width and spacing of several mils or less. The interconnect of the carrier must be able to make separate electrical connections to each contact without shorting or excessively damaging the contact.
The carrier must also include external contacts adapted to make electrical connections with the test apparatus. These externals contacts on the carrier must have a size and density corresponding to the size and density of the contacts on the components under test. In addition, the external contacts must be able to perform reliably in a production environment over an extended period of time.
Another consideration is the interface of the external contacts with the test apparatus. The test apparatus must be able to efficiently handle and electrically connect to a large number of individual carriers. The physical and electrical interface of the carriers and the test apparatus affects the performance of the test system to a large degree.
The present invention is directed to a system including a carrier with a dense array of external contacts and a socket adapted to physically and electrically connect to the external contacts.